Kataang Collection: Book 3
by Of Perspicacity
Summary: This is a series of Kataang one-shots, one for each chapter of Book 3 of ATLA.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a little series I'll be working on writing a short one-shot for each episode of Book 3. If it's something you guys like, I'll do it for other books/ships as well! Let me know by following/favoriting/reviewing!**

**Book 3 Chapter 1: ****The Awakening**

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><p>The door slowly creaked open as Katara tiptoed through it. She glanced down the hallway in both directions before sliding the door closed as quietly as she could. She didn't want anyone else to know her little secret.<p>

She had been on the Fire Navy ship for four days now with her father, Bato, and her friends. Aang was still unconscious from Azula's attack, and it was his sleeping form Katara watched over now. The sound of his sighing breaths greeted and reassured her. She'd had trouble sleeping the last few nights, so she made her way to his side while everyone else slept. She'd pushed the fear that he'd never wake up to the back of her mind. He had to. It was that simple.

Carefully, so as not to disturb his wounds, Katara sat down on the bed next to him. She breathed in his scent. For the longest time she'd associated his scent with Appa's, because the two were rarely apart. When Appa had been stolen she'd begun to realize that Aang had a scent all his own, one of fresh air and the outdoors. She clung to its familiarity now.

Ever so gently she traced the arrow on his forehead with her fingertip until it met his hair. She'd considered shaving it for him but decided it was not her place. If – no, when – he woke up, he could do it himself. "Please," She whispered quietly. "Aang, we need you. I need you," She admitted, as much to herself as to his unconscious form. "Please wake up." He slept on, oblivious to her pleas. A tear slid down her cheek as she took his limp hand in hers. You never quite realize how much someone means to you until you come so close to losing them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Book 3 Chapter 2: The Headband**

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><p>"Go to your room!" Sokka bellowed with a tug on his fake beard. Aang's face immediately fell. Maybe Sokka was exaggerating a little, but Katara couldn't help but agree that inviting almost a hundred Fire Nation citizens to their hide-out was a bad idea, even if they were only students. Wasn't the point of staying in this cave to <em>avoid<em> any extra contact with the Fire Nation? Still, Aang seemed so enraptured with the idea that Katara, Toph, and even Sokka helped him with the preparations.

The students began to file in and stood around nervously, unsure of what to do with themselves, voicing concern that they shouldn't even be there. Aang quickly rebutted their protests with a quick introduction to dancing, demonstrating some Fire Nation dance moves he'd learned over a hundred years ago. There was no denying he was light on his feet. It probably had something to do with his air bending.

"Who knew twinkle-toes could dance?" Toph crowed across the table from Katara. She smiled softly as she watched him, half-wishing she could be up there too. It sure did look like he was having fun. To her surprise, he pulled one of the girls – On Ji? – In to help him demonstrate the moves. Katara felt a strange twinge in her gut.

"Wow, they look pretty good together," Sokka commented, still wearing that ridiculous beard.

"Eh. If that's what you like." The twinge grew. She felt somehow hurt that Aang hadn't chosen to demonstrate the moves with her, even though it was silly. What did it matter who he chose?

Slowly the students began to join in, and they actually appeared to be enjoying themselves. Katara rested her cheek in her palm, quietly giving in to her self-pity, when Aang appeared before her with a hand out-stretched.

"I don't know Aang. These shoes aren't really right for dancing." She desparately wanted to try it, but didn't want her eagerness to show. "And I'm not sure that I know how to-"

"Take my hand," Aang interrupted confidently, almost as if he believed in her. She couldn't help the grin that suddenly appeared on her face.

"Okay." Aang led her to the center of the room and whispered instructions as he led her in a dance. For a few moments she was concentrating so completely on the dance and on the boy across from her that she didn't notice the attention of the crowd slowly turning on them.

"Aang, everyone's watching," She suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"Don't worry about them. It's just you and me right now." Aang encouraged with a half-smile that made her blush. She turned her focus completely back to Aang, concentrating once more on the moves. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much fun. Aang twirled gracefully around her as she executed some moves of her own. As the dance ended and Aang dipped her as a finale, she couldn't help but notice the warmth of his hand on her waist and the way his gray eyes sparkled into hers. He was Aang, but suddenly he was also so much more.

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><p><strong>This one was a little different than the first because I actually did it within the parameters of the episode. Hopefully it felt like more than just a re-telling (though that's basically what it was). I actually watched the last section of that episode as I wrote this to get the dialogue right.<strong>

**Again, this is a new idea I'm trying out, writing a Kataang one-shot for each episode of the 3rd book. If it's a format you like, let me know! I'd love to do it for other books and ships!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Book 3, Chapter 3: The Painted Lady**

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><p>Aang watched silently as Katara carefully scrubbed the Painted Lady makeup from her tan cheeks. There were so many things he wanted to tell her: That he was so proud of her for taking a stand for those people. That he admired her courage and wished he had even half a measure of it. That she had been breathtakingly beautiful as the painted lady (but then again when wasn't she?). That he loved her, oh, he loved her so much that sometimes he felt like his heart had forgotten to beat.<p>

And, he realized when he resurfaced, he'd let his mind wander and found Katara's curious gaze fixed on him. He'd probably been staring at her again. A faint blush rose to his cheeks at the thought. He didn't know how it was that he always felt her cobalt eyes could see right through him.

"Aang?" She spoke his name so quietly that for a moment he thought he might have imagined it as part of his reverie. "I wanted to thank you for helping me today. It meant so much to have your support." She sent him one of those smiles and once again he had to remind his heart to beat. He wondered if she knew how disarming she was to him.

"I was happy to, Katara. What you did-" Aang reached up to rub the back of his neck. "I thought it was incredible." He was surprised to see a slight blush creep into her cheeks.

"Thanks, Aang." She said softly, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek. The look in her cerulean eyes when she pulled away was enough to rekindle the hope Aang had too often convinced himself to ignore.


	4. Chapter 4

**Book 3 Chapter 4: Sokka's Master**

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><p>Aang felt hot and sluggish and <em>bored<em>. Without Sokka for entertainment and with this ferocious heat, there wasn't much to do. He, Katara and Toph had spent the day lazing around and waiting for something to happen. "Sokka's coming!" Toph's exclamation broke the stillness and the trio immediately became more animated. Suddenly the heat was forgotten as they jumped up and ran towards Sokka, ambushing him in a group hug.

As the din of greetings died down, Aang said, "Say something funny!" He never thought he'd actually miss Sokka's corny jokes.

"Funny how?" Sokka asked quizzically, and immediately Aang and Katara broke out in raucous laughter. He turned to Toph. "What's their deal?"

"I don't know," She replied as she turned, nervously reaching to rub the back of her neck. This caught Aang's attention. "They missed you or something. I didn't care." If Aang wasn't mistaken, a slight blush stained Toph's cheeks and a small smile belied her previous statement. He carefully stored away this newfound knowledge for future reference. He figured it was only fair considering the conversation he and Toph had had a few weeks ago.

"Twinkletoes, I know what's up with you," She'd said conversationally. He'd let the pebbles she'd been teaching him to bend fall to the ground. He glanced around him and was glad to find that at least they were alone, because he thought he knew what was coming.

"Wh-what do you mean?" He'd asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh, come on. I feel things through the ground, remember? And every time you are near Katara your heart starts beating like a drum. You like her." It was a statement, not a question.

"I, well…" he'd spluttered, not sure how to respond. He'd known this was coming. You couldn't hide much from Toph. To his surprise, her voice had softened as she spoke again.

"But Katara's great. You two would be good for each other."Aang's cheeks warmed at that. This was very uncharacteristic for Toph. "But just remember if I ever have the opportunity to use it against you I will," She'd finished with a punch. Aang winced and rubbed his arm. There was the Toph he knew.

Back in the present Aang couldn't help grinning to himself. It never hurt to have ammunition.

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><p><strong>Whoops I slipped some Tokka in there sorry-not-sorry. Also, the Kataang here is low for which I <em>am <em>sorry.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Book 3, Chapter 5: The Beach**

**(If you recall, this was also the episode where the Gaang is attacked by the "combustion man" for the first time, in the middle of the night)**

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><p>"Aang?" Katara spoke quietly. "Are you okay? You're not hurt?" Appa flew through the night as a result of the silent, unanimous decision that nowhere was safe on the ground for now. That combustion bender could be anywhere. Toph was sacked out a few feet away, limbs sprawled in a position that couldn't possibly be comfortable, and Sokka held Appa's reins, assuring them that he wasn't tired anymore anyway. That he needed something mindless to do while he thought.<p>

"I'm fine, Katara," Aang replied absently, so many thoughts crowding for his attention but somehow the memory of the way she'd clung to him for a few moments after he'd landed on Appa moving to the forefront. He turned to find her cerulean eyes fixed on him, concern creasing her brow. They were an especially startling blue in the soft moonlight, and for a moment he was transfixed.

"But are you hurt?" She pressed, asking him again as she rested a hand on his bare shoulder.

Aang held up his arms and inspected them, surprised to find that there was a rather deep gash on the left one, above his elbow.

"Oh, Aang," She breathed, reaching out to gently brush against it with her fingertips, assessing the damage. She pulled water from the pouch she always had at her side and carefully applied it to the wound.

After so many healing sessions because of Azula's attack, Aang would have expected to grow accustomed to her touch, but it still sent a tingle down his spine as her fingertips brushed his skin while the water worked its magic. As the glow faded and Katara guided the water back into its pouch, Aang reached for her hand.

"Thanks, Katara," Her slim fingers curled around his hand and for a moment the breath caught in his throat.

"I'm just glad you're okay," She said as she pulled him into her arms for the second time that night. For a few moments he held her close, breathing in her ocean spray scent, and despite everything that had happened, all was right in his world.


	6. Chapter 6

**Book 3 Chapter 6: The Avatar and the Firelord**

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><p>"Love is hard when you're young." Avatar Roku's words echoed in Aang's mind as he lay staring up at the stars. Avatar Roku had shown him everything that had happened between Roku and Fire Lord Sozin. It certainly gave Aang a lot to think about. Now, in the stillness of night, that particular phrase was the one Aang pondered. With a sigh he rolled onto his side as his gaze fell across Katara's sleeping form. He couldn't help the smile that quirked his lips upwards.<p>

Love _was_ hard, especially not knowing if the one you love loves you back. Still, Roku had married the girl of his dreams. What was to say Aang couldn't have the same honor? He desired nothing more than to wake every morning to Katara in his arms and to live every day with her by his side.

Roku's words as the two Avatars had watched his wedding were the ones Aang chose to hold in his heart: "When love is real, it finds a way."

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><p><strong>Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! It means a lot to know you enjoy my little drabbles so much :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow. Sorry I haven't updated in so long! Life has been busy. I promise I'll try to be more consistent!**

**Book 3 Chapter 7: The Runaway**

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><p>"Aang, we need to talk." He and Katara were practicing water bending, and the statement seemingly came out of nowhere.<p>

"What's wrong, Katara?" He bent the water back her way.

"Well for starters, you _lied _to me." She bent the water back with such force that Aang almost lost his balance trying to catch and return it. "You said, on your _Avatar honor_ that you guys would stop scamming people! And I know those bags of money didn't just appear out of thin air."

Aang's breath caught in his throat and the water Katara bent back his way splashed on his head and dripped down his arms. He suddenly regretted going behind her back, though it had seemed like a good idea at the time. "I'm sorry, Katara." And he really was. He realized that they'd gotten carried away. He should never have let Toph and Sokka talk him into continuing the scams.

"I thought I could trust you, Aang," Katara said, almost sorrowfully but with an angry glint in her eyes. "I guess I was wrong. I just thought you of all people would see how stupid and _wrong _this is!" She stormed off, leaving Aang standing on the island in the middle of the river, mouth gaping with unspoken apologies. As her retreating back faded from view, Aang settled himself on the ground, resting his arms on his knees with a sigh. He'd really screwed up this time.


	8. Chapter 8

**Book 3 Chapter 8: The Puppetmaster**

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><p>"Congratulations, Katara. You're a bloodbender." Hama's words and her cackle echoed in Katara's mind long after her retreating back disappeared from view. Long after her sobbing had subsided and her friends had succumbed to sleep, Katara sat numbly staring at her hands.<p>

"Katara?" She jumped slightly at the sound of Aang's soft whisper. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She turned to face him and the soft look on his face almost made her break down again. "It's all my fault." She whispered. "If only I'd listened to Sokka, none of this would have happened. You both almost died because of me." She lowered her head as a tear slid down her cheek.

"But we didn't, Katara. You saved us!" He surprised her then by pulling her into his arms. The gesture made the tears flow harder again as she leaned into him. Her heart flip-flopped at the way he held her close. "You did what you had to do." He firmly assured her. "I'm proud of you."

Katara let him hold her for a few more moments, drawing strength from his comfort. She quietly pondered to herself when his friendship had come to mean so much to her.

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><p><strong>Again, thank you all so much for the support! It means so much to me!<strong>


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